Automatic stop for sound-reproducing machines



W. G. ALTHAUS.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR SOUND REPRODUCING MACHINES.

APPHCATION FILED APR. 28, 1921.

mwmi. Patented June 20, 1922.

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Q )r 7 I I at: WITNESSES 25 22 21 xzs 11 @270 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

WALTER G. ALTI-IAUS, OF SHAVVANO, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH TOHOWARD B. RICHMOND, OF SHAWANO, WISCONSIN.

AUTOMATIC STOP FOR SOUND-REPR-ODUCING IVIACHINES.

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Application filed April 28, 1921.

T 0 all whom it may concern Be it known that I, Naminn GnAnrrmu's, acitizen of the United States, and resident of Shawano, in the county ofShawano and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and usefulImprovements in Automatic Stops for Serum-Reproducing Machines, of whichthe following is a description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which are a part of this specification.

The invention relates to automatic stops for sound reproducing machines.

The object of the invent-ion is to provide a stop for automaticallystopping the drive of the machine when the playing of the record hasbeen completed without the necessity of setting the stop mechanism.

it. further object of the invention is to provide a stop mechanism forsound reproducing machines which is rendered inoperative during the timethe tone arm is oscillating, but which becomes operative to set thebrake soon as the tone arm stops swinging, that is, when the needle ofthe reproducer reaches the last groove of the record.

The invention further consists in the several features hereinafter setforth and more particularly defined by claims at the conclusion hereof.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is a plan view of a device embodying theinvention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view thereof,

The stop mechanism embodying this invention may be built into any of thedifferent types of sound reproducing machines at the time ofmanufacture, or it may be applied to machines already built in whichinstance the various parts of the mechanism are mounted on a base plate8 beneath the record supporting platen 4. Where the device is applied toa phonograph.

The numeral 5 designates a turn table post or drive shaft of a talkingmachine and this is operatively connected with a rotating member 6. Thismember 6 may be driven from the shaft 5 or from the platen 4, or in anyother suitable manner, and as here shown it is driven by a gear 7meshing with gear teeth 8 formed on the member 6.

A brake operating dog 9 is pivotally mounted on the member 6 and isadapted to be moved by a spring 10 into engagement with a bell cranklever 11 connected by a link Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J une 20, 1922.

Serial No. 465,121.

12 with a brake lever 13 of usual construction adapted to move intocontact with the platen 4. It will be understood that the dog may beused to operate any suitable form of brake mechanism supplied with orbuilt into the machine, said dog operating to trip the lever 11 at theproper time to set the brake and thereby stop the machine. Until therecord is finished, or until the proper time has arrived to stop themachine, the dog 9 is prevented from engaging the lever 11 by a lever 1%which pro ects int-o the path of movement of the dog 9 during theplaying of the record.

The lever 14 is pivotally mounted intermed ate its ends upon a pivotpost 15 and carries a triangular shaped locking pin 16. This pin isadapted to be engaged by the hooked end of a latch 17 which is pivotallymounted intermediate its ends upon the base plate 3. A spring 18normally acts on said latch 17 to move the hooked end thereof clear-ofthe pin 16, but at a time when the dog 9 moves into contact with thelever 14 a cam 19 on the member 6 acting upon the arm 20 of the latch 17moves said latch into looking engagement with the pin 16 and thus holdsthe lever 14L stationary until the dog 9 has been forced in by saidlever so as to clear the trip lever 11. This action takes place duringthe playing of the record, due to means controlling the position of thelever 14 with respect to the latch 17.

The means controlling the position of the lever 14 during the playing ofthe record includes a tension lever 21 which is pivotally mountedintermediate its 7 ends upon a bracket 22 secured to the base plate. Oneend 23 of this lever is adapted to bear or contact with a stop orprojection 24 on the lever 14 on the same side of the pivot as the pin16, and the other end 25 of said lever carries a spring plate 26 movabletoward or away from said end by an adjusting screw 27. A; friction plate28 is secured to a bracket 29 on the oscillating tone arm 30 and ismovable between the end 25 and the plate 26 and frictionally engagedtherewith so as to swing the lever 21 as the tone arm swings, themovement of said plate 28 causing the end 23 to be forced intoengagement with the stop 24. at the proper time to position the lever 14to be locked in position by the latch 17, as previously described. Thescrew 27 is used to put the proper tension on the plate 28 so thatit'will cause lever 21 to function properly and still not put enoughtension on the tone arm to cause the reproducer to .jump in the groovesof the record. A stop pin 31 limits the movement of the lever 14 in onedirection and a stop pin 32 limits the outer swinging movement of thetension lever 21. It will, of course, be understood that the tone armswings as the needle of the reproducer follows the groove of the recordand that the friction plate may be attached to the tone arms ofdifferent types or be formed as a art thereof, if desired.

With this construction, as long as the tone arm continues moving andthere. is a tension on the lever 21, the lever 14 is alternately forcedout by the cam 19 and in by the lever 21, thus allowing the machine tocontinue playing. As soon as the record is finished the tone arm andplate 28 'cease moving and the tension lever 21 no longer exerts forceupon the lever 14, consequently when the lever 14 is again forced side16 of the pin 16 to thereby positively hold thelever 14 out of the wayuntil the dog 9 has tripped the lever 11. setting the brake and stoppingthe machine. As long as the tone arm is travelling on the record, andeach time that the lever 14 is forced out by the cam 19, the springplate 26 is permitted to slip back on the plate 28 in proportion to themovement of the lever 21 by the lever 14.

For the purpose of insuring proper starting and for allowing the usualbackward and forward swinging of the tone arm while placing thereproducer on the record without-placing the stop mechanism in conditionfor actuation, I have provided a safety lever 33 for performing thefunction of the tension lever 21 whilestarting the machine, and tocontinue to perform such duties until such time as the friction plate 28has forced said lever against the action of its spring 34 to such aposition that its adjustable end 35 no longer moves into engagement witha projection 36 on'the lever 14 after the cam 19 has moved said lever 14outwardly and as soon as lever 33 ceases tofunction the lever 21 startsto act, as previously described. The screw forming the end 35 of thelever 33 is provided for adusting the position at which said leverceases to function on the. inward movement far as such limitations arespecified in claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination, with the brakemechanism and the tone arm, of a rotating support, a dog mounted on saidsupport and operatively engageable with said brake mechanism, a leveradapted to be positioned in the path of said dog to prevent itsoperation during the playing of the record, means controlled by themovement of the tone arm for bringing said lever to an operativeposition, and means for locking said lever in an operative positionwhile the record is being played at the time when the dog passes saidlever.

2. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination, with brake mechanismand the tone arm, of a support, a dog mounted on said support andoperatively engageable with said brake mechanism, means for revolvingsaid support concurrently with the record, a lever adapted to bepositioned in the path of said dog to prevent itsoperation during theplaying of the record, a pair of tension members controlled by themovement of the tone arm for bringing said lever to an operativeposition, and means for locking said lever in an operative positionwhile the record is being played at the time when the dog passes saidlever.

In a'SOHHCl reproducing machine, the combination with the brakemechanism and tone arm, of a support revolving concurrently with therecord, a dog mounted on said support and engageable with a part of saidbrake mechanism to operate the same, a lever adapted to be positioned inthe path of said dog to prevent its operation rently with the record, adog mounted on said support and engageable with a part of said brakemechanism to operate the same, a lever adapted to be positioned in thepath of said dog to prevent its operation during the playing of therecord, tension members operable on said lever during the movement ofthe tone. arm, a frictional plate on the tone arm engageable with saidtension mem bers, a latch for locking said leverin position to preventactuation of the dog, and a cam on said support controlling said latch.

55, In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with the brakemechanismand tone-arm, of a support revolving concurrently with therecord, a dog mounted on said support and operatively engageable withsaid brake mechanism, a lever adapted to be positioned in the path ofsaid dog to prevent its operation during the playing of the record, alatch for locking said lever in a position to prevent the dog fromoperating, a cam on said support controlling said latch, and meanscontrolled by the movement of the tone-arm during the playing of therecord for positioning said lever for engagement with the latch.

6. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combinationof abrake actuator and a member for preventing actuation of saidactuator until the playing of the record is completed, and a pair oftension levers controlled by the movement of the tone-arm to bring saidmember to an operative position.

7. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combinationof a brake actuator and a member for preventing actuation of saidactuator until the playing of the record is completed, a pair of tensionlevers controlled by the movement of the tone-arm to bring said memberto an operative position, one of said tension members acting on saidmember only during starting of the record.

8. In an automatic stop for sound reproducing machines, the combinationof a brake actuating member and a lever for preventing actuation of saidmember until the playing of the record is completed, a pair of tensionmembers controlled by the movement of the tone-arm to bring said leverto an operative position, and means for locking said lever in anoperative position while the record is being played at the time wheneither of said members engages said lever.

9. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with the brakemechanism and tone-arm, of a rotating support, a dog mounted thereon andoperatively engageable with said brake mechanism, a lever adapted to bepositioned in the path of said dog to prevent its operation duringplaying of the record, means controlled by the movement of the tone-armfor bringing said lever to an operative position, means for positivelylocking said lever in an operative position while the record is beingplayed at the time when the dog passes said lever, and means forpositively locking said lever in an inoperative position when the recordis played and at the time when the dog passes said lever.

10. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with the brakemechanism and tone-arm, of brake actuating means operable on saidmechanism at any time, and means including a lever and a pair of tensionmembers controlling the position of said lever and controlled by themovement of the tone-arm to prevent operation of said actuating meansuntil the movement of said arm ceases.

11. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with the brakemechanism and the tone-arm, of brake actuating means operable on saidmechanism at any time; and means including a lever and a pair of tensionmembers engaged by a part of the tone arm and operable while thetone-arm moves to prevent operation of said actuating means until themovement of the tonearm ceases.

12. In a sound reproducing machine, the combination with the brakemechanism and tonearm, of a brake actuator operable on said mechanism atany time, a lever adapted to be positioned in the path of said actuatorto prevent its operation during the playing of the record, a latch forlocking said lever in a position to prevent the actuator from operating,means for controlling said latch, and means controlled by the movementof the tone-arm during the playing of the record for positioning saidlever for engagement with the latch.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WALTER G. ALTHAUS. Witnesses A. O. KUoKUK, PERCY Kosr.

